Dunes are constantly changing. Wind adds new minerals, rain drains them away. The species of plants that grow react to the consistency of the dune soil. This process of change is called succession. It begins on the beach with sea rocket and sand couch, both of which germinate in the flood mark on a flat sandy surface. Once these plants take root, they catch sand which eventually forms into a dune. When this mound of sand traps fresh water, other plants such as marram grass will take root. As more and more sand is retained, other plants will germinate in the sheltered spots, such as sea holly and sand evening primrose.

Moving more inland in the shelter of the first row of dunes, sea buckthorn flourishes. Many of these thorny bushes bunched together form impenetrable 'woods'. Sea buckthorn is an important plant for the dunes because it adds lots of nitrogen into the soil. There is more than enough for sea buckthorn itself, so that other plants also profit. In the area surrounding sea buckthorn, you often find a ground cover of stinging nettles and blackberries, followed eventually by elderberry.

Many of the plants die in the winter, producing lots of humus in the ground. This means even more food for other plant species. The more nutrient-rich the soil, the fewer flowering plants and the more grass species. Thick mats of grass and moss 'fix the dunes', protecting them from erosion. The composition of the dune soil has changed from nutrient-poor and calcium-rich sand to nutrient-rich and calcium-poor soil.